NEW DELHI — Nearly eight in 10 smartphone users in India experience call drops or connectivity interruptions while traveling on highways, according to a report released Thursday by CyberMedia Research.
The report, based on a survey of 2,000 smartphone users ages 18 to 35 across New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kolkata, found that 79% of respondents reported call drops or connectivity disruptions during highway travel. The report said the issue is affecting working professionals both financially and emotionally.
“India has made real progress in expanding mobile coverage, yet consistent connectivity remains a challenge in everyday environments — highways, metros, and indoor low-signal zones,” said Prabhu Ram, vice president of the Industry Research Group at CMR.
Among respondents who use their phones for business, 64% said they had lost a sales opportunity or client deal because of a call drop. Two in three respondents said they had lost a client they believed was affected by poor signal performance, according to the report.
The survey also found that 83% of respondents said call drops during important conversations left them feeling anxious or helpless. About 71% said they had to call a customer back after a dropped call, which many respondents said damaged their professional image.
The report said smartphone design may play a role in connectivity performance in challenging environments, including during highway travel.
Among frequent highway travelers using smartphones with triple-signal chipset technology in the POVA Series, 81% reported an improved signal experience after switching devices. About 74% said they had a more reliable calling experience during highway travel, while 72% reported faster signal recovery after passing through weak-coverage areas.
The findings come as India’s smartphone market faces pressure from rising component costs. A separate CMR report said India’s smartphone shipments fell 2% year over year in the first quarter of 2026, marking the market’s weakest quarterly performance in recent years.
The report said rising DRAM and NAND flash prices led to device price increases and prompted many price-sensitive consumers to delay upgrades. (Source: IANS)
